It's A Wonderful Life
by Kris6
Summary: Like in the movie, one of our favorite S.o.N girls wishes she had never been born and is forced to see the repurcussions of her absence.
1. Chapter 1

It's A Wonderful Life  
Disclaimer: If I owned them, you would be seeing it on TV, not reading it on this board.  
Pairing: S/A all the way!

Spoilers: After 'Friends With Benefits'.

Summary: Like the movie. One of our favorite S.o.N. characters wishes she was never born and has to face the repercussions of having her wish granted.

Chapter One  
**Intro**  
Today is a pretty special day. No, not because it is the 'holiday season' or anything quite so ordinary.  
No, today a teenager, just like you or me, will get to experience the holidays in a way many of us could never dream of. She is going to experience it as if she had never been born.  
Now, I'm sure that you must be wondering why anyone would wish that upon themselves. There are several reasons and, if you would quit asking so many damn questions, I will get to hers.  
First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Megan and I am a guide of sorts. I deal with this kind of shit all of the time and it is my job to show people what life would be like without them. Trust me, we're better off without most of them.  
However, some people just greatly under appreciate themselves and their worth. This is one such account.   
Now, sit down and shut up so that I can get to the story. Ahem...  
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**Morning**  
Two best friends are driving on their way to school, the dark-haired girl behind the wheel as per usual. They are smiling and singing along to the radio. Both are in good spirits as today is the last day of school before their winter break. However, what they don't know, is that today is the last day their friendship would remain as it is.  
Once they pull up to the school, the brunette reaches into the backseat and pulls a blue backpack into the front before handing it to her friend with a smile.  
"Thanks Ash," she smiles warmly at her friend as they begin to get out of the car.  
"No problem Spence," Ashley replies with equal warmth as she grabs her bag and they begin to walk towards the school.  
"You know," Spencer begins conspiratorially. "I hear there is a new girl starting today," she informs the other girl.  
"Really?" Ashley asks and the other girl simply nods. "What kind of sicko would start their kid at a new school the day before Christmas break?" She asks rhetorically, making a disgusted face.  
"Who knows," Spencer responds noncommittally with a shrug.  
"Oh look! Hottie alert!" Ashley nudges her friend into following her line of sight. "Let's go say hi," she instructs as she grabs Spencer's hand and drags her across the quad.  
"You and new girls," Spencer grumbles as she allows herself to be led to where the new girl is sitting.  
Ashley pointedly ignores her as they reach the aforementioned hottie. "Hi, I'm Ashley and this is Spencer," she greets the new arrival.  
"I'm Chrissy," the new girl replies, smiling at the two as she takes in the brunette's warm smile and the blonde's eye roll. "So, are you guys, like, a couple?" Chrissy asks, looking at their hands still entwined together.  
They both immediately drop the other's hand and share a perplexed expression. "No, but we are both kind of into girls," Ashley replies, reserving the 'kind of' part for Spencer.  
"Just not each other," Chrissy points out.  
"No, not each other," Spencer says, not sounding absolutely sure. Chrissy eyes Ashley seductively, causing the blonde to move closer to her friend protectively. "But we're still very close," she points out as she wraps a protective arm around her friend's waist.  
"Yeah," Ashley agrees obliviously as she puts her own arm around Spencer's neck. "You look lost," she points out after a moment. "How about Spencer and I show you around?" She offers with a winning smile, causing Spencer to curse under her breath.  
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**Lunch**  
"Hey Spence," Ashley greets her friend as she excitedly plops herself down in front of her friend at their usual table.  
"Oh, so you remember my name?" Spencer snarks out bitterly, obviously jealous.  
"Please, don't even go there," Ashley rolls her eyes. "Chrissy and I are going to skip the rest of the day. Did you want to come?" She invites the blonde after a moment.  
"You know I have a test next class," Spencer whines, motioning towards her books spread out on the table.  
"That's never stopped you before," Ashley sing-songs.  
"Last time we got lucky. I am not going to take my chances again," Spencer points out.  
"Whatever," Ashley breathes out in mild disappointment. "I'll see you later thought right?" She asks hopefully.  
Spencer takes a moment to reflect on the way her friend was looking at the new girl this morning. "No, I'll let you guys be alone," she responds suggestively.  
Finally, Ashley decides that she's had enough of Spencer being so cold to her. "What is your problem?" She nearly shouts, flailing her arms around for emphasis of her exasperation.  
"God, it's like you hook up with people for no reason!" Spencer shouts back, frustrated at the other girl's overly flirtatious behavior with anything that moves.  
"What do you care?" Ashley asks angrily, getting into Spencer face. "It's not like you're my girlfriend," she taunts before turning around and leaving. Spencer stares after the other girl wide-eyed and tears beginning to form.  
Madison approaches the blonde with a smirk. "Lover's quarrel?" She questions teasingly with her hands on her hips and her minions chuckling behind her.  
"Fuck off Madison," Spencer growls before she gathers her stuff and goes over to where Aiden is talking to some of the other basketball players. She tugs on his sleeve to get his attention.  
"Hey, what's up?" He asks with a bright smile on his face. "Are you okay?" He wonders, noticing how the younger girl looks about ready to cry.  
"Can you take me home?" She asks to dark-haired boy.  
"Yeah sure," Aiden replies as he picks up his gym bag and leads the girl to his car.  
Ten minutes later shows the two of them pulling up in front of Spencer's house. As Aiden puts the car into park, he turns to face the blonde girl beside him only to have her lean across and begin to make out with him desperately. He is happy to oblige, at least until he feels something warm and wet on his face. He pulls away and sees that Spencer is crying.  
"Is this about Ashley?" Aiden asks as he tries to look into her eyes.  
"She's seeing some girl now," Spencer tells him as she tries to move in on him again.  
Aiden gently pushes her away. "I don't want to be your backup," he informs the girl. "Just, get out of my car," he orders, shaking his head at the other girl.  
Spencer sadly exits his vehicle before pulling out her house key and making her way upstairs to her room. She climbs into her bed and starts to cry.   
_What a nightmare! Now everybody hates me. Madison, Aiden and Ashley._ "I wish I had never been born," she sobs dramatically into her pillow.  
"Okay," comes a feminine voice behind her. Spencer turns around to face the girl behind her.   
"Huh?" She questions, dumbstruck.  
"You wished that you had never been born so, wish granted: You never existed," the other girl shrugs.  
"Oh," Spencer replies in shock.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two  
"So, I was never born?" Spencer asks the leather clad girl before her.  
"Exactly," the other girl replies.  
"Um, who are you?" The blonde asks, shaking her head in confusion, wondering when it was that reality began to escape her.  
"I'm Megan," the mysterious new arrival introduces herself. "I will be your guide," she adds.  
"A guide named Megan that can take people's lives, now I know I've lost my mind," Spencer grumbles, rolling her eyes.  
"Don't mock me," Megan replies, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at the blonde. "I just granted your wish and now you're mocking me. Teenagers thses days, so fucking ungrateful," she mumbles quietly.  
"What, are you, like, God or something?" Spencer asks, still not convinced.  
"I'd like to think so," Megan smirks, crossing her arms across her chest.  
"Then who are you?" Spencer asks again, growing increasingly frustrated with the other girl.  
"I told you, I'm MEgan, your guide," she replies slowly so that the younger girl can keep up.  
With a sigh, Spencer decides to humor her. "Okay, what do I need a guide for if I was never born?" She asks challengingly.  
"So that you can see what life would be like without you," Megan explains, finally seeing that she's penetrated the other girl's think skull somewhat.  
"Uh huh," Spencer nods her head, trying to wrap her mind around everything. "So, where do we start?" She asks. "Will I be visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past in the next hour or-"  
"You're mocking me again and, please bitch, that is a Christmas Carole...get your holiday stories right," Megan snarks back, rolling her eyes.  
"Geez, sorry," Spencer replies, holding up her hands in a placating manner.  
"Fine, whatever, let's get started. How about we begin with you immediate family?" She asks rhetorically.  
"You're the guide," Spencer nods. Megan glares at her and snaps her fingers.  
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**Carlin Household**  
"Well, the house still looks the same," Spencer notes as the two stand in the hallway. "Couldn't we have just walked down the stairs?" She asks.  
"Yes, but this way is so much more dramatic," Megan rolls her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. As they both stand there, she looks over at her impatiently. "Well, take a look around, don't stand there looking like a beached whale with your mouth hanging open like that," she orders the other girl.  
"Aren't you supposed to be the guide? You should be telling me what I need to look for," Spencer responds, looking around anyways.  
They go to stand by a wall with several pictures hanging on it. "There sure are a lot of pictures of Glen," she mumbles to herself.  
"Yeah, notice anything else?" Megan prods the girl.  
"Um..." Spencer thinks for a moment as she studies the pictures. A light goes off in her head as she moves to the living room to look at the photos on the matle and end tables. "Where's Clay?" She asks after a moment.  
Megan is leaning on the doorframe with her arms folded across her chest. "Your parents never adopted him. In fact, your dad never even met him," she smirks at the girl staring at her in the middle of the living room.  
"What, of course he did. Even if I wasn't born, they still would have met at the Social Services Department where he worked," Spencer points out as she advances angrily on the other girl.  
"Your dad never became a social worker Sweetheart," the other girl smirks as she walks closer to the blonde.  
"He's always been one. Since before I was born," Spencer shakes her head, unable to believe any of it.  
"When your mom became pregnant with you is when your dad took a look around him and decided that he was needed elsewhere," Megan shakes her head, feeling bad for the blonde. "Remember when you walked into his work with your mom when you were, say six years old?" She asks, and Spencer nods. "Then you met Clay and you guys started to talk and he treated you like you were already his sister. That night, do you remember what you said to your parents?" She asks.  
Spencer takes a moment before tearfully looking at the other girl.  
"I said that Clay would make a great brother," she replies.  
"Your dad never became a social worker and he never met Clay and he was never adopted," Megan sums it up. "Let's go play Clay a visit," she suggests, taking Spencer's hand and snapping her fingers again.  
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**Cincinatti, OH**  
Suddenly, they are in an abandoned warehouse on the top floor. They walk into a room with a few busted out windows and there is snow coming in through the open hole in the wall. Many of the flakes are landing on a figure huddled up under a beaten jacket being used as a blanket.  
"Clay?" Spencer whispers as she looks at the figure curled into a fetal position.  
"Afraid so," Megan nods regretfully. "When he was 16, he ran away from his tenth foster family and went to live on the streets. He has been living in this warehouse for the last two weeks. It's getting torn down on Monday, so he's going to be back on the streets in the coldest part of the winter," Megan sighs. "Ready to continue on?" She asks, getting over her brief bout with regret.  
"Are you serious?" Spencer asks upset and Megan gives her a 'duh' look. "We can't just leave him here. He'll die," she nearly shouts.  
Megan feels herself getting fed up. "You gave up your right to do anything when you forfeited your life. Now you have to see the consequences of your actions," she replies angrily. "That is the point of my being here. You need to see the repercussions of making such frivolous decisions. It's true what they say 'Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it'. You got your wish and I am **_guiding_** you through the consequences, whether you like it or not," she explains harshly, grabbing the blonde's hand and snapping them back to L.A.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
**Carlin House**  
Once back at her previous home, Spencer drops into one of the armchairs in the living room warily. With an aggravated sigh, she looks back up at her guide.  
"I never thought that I had anything to do with Clay being with us," she admits, shaking her head at the idea of a Clay-less existence.  
"They never do," Megan mumbles, more to herself than the girl in front of her. "You haven't even seen the worst of it Honey," she tosses in, crossing her arms authoritatively across her chest.  
"Of course I haven't," Spencer laments sarcastically.  
"watch the tone," Megan orders the teen.  
Before either of them can continue their bickering, the front door opens and closes hurriedly. Curiously, Spencer rises up out of her seat and takes a look into the hallway. Surprisingly, a shaggy haired blonde boy in khakis and a moderately tight fitting checkered shirt scurries into the house. He has a heavy looking backpack with his arms loaded with books as well.  
Not paying attention, the boy trips over a crinkle in the rug and goes falling over, his books flying through the air. "Oh fiddlesticks!" He exclaims angrily as he gathers the books up and scampers up to his room.  
"Okay...'fiddlestick'?" Spencer laughs, Megan smirking at the scene as well. "My Glen has never even picked up a textbook," she points out with a grin, shaking her head at the geek that had just run by.  
Both girls stare off at where the boy had disappeared to. "Glen really loved you, you know?" She asks rhetorically as she turns her attention back to her charge.  
"Right," the blonde scoffs, thinking about how the boy was always an ass to her and her friends.  
"All of those sports and tacky weight training classes he took was because of you," Megan explains, earning a skeptical expression from the girl. "All he ever wanted was to protect his baby sister. Without you...he had nothing to protect and no reason to try and become the big man on campus," she shrugs.  
"How does that explain all of those textbooks? Not even Clay was that much of a nerd?" Spencer asks.  
"With Glen, Clay and you, your parents had three kids to focus their expectations on. Glen was the jock, Clay was the brain and you were...Wait, what exactly were you?" Megan asks contemplatively.  
"Well, you're making me feel a whole lot better," the blonde grumbles.  
"You were daddy's little Princess," Megan grins to herself, completely ignoring Spencer. "But, with it being just Glen, everything is put on him. Good grades, good college, good job...good life," she explains earnestly.  
"Damn. So he and Madison probably don't even know each other," Spencer comments thoughtfully.  
"Sure they do. Madison, Aiden and anyone who you knew as his friends totally rip on him for being such a loser," Megan shrugs. "Actually, just last week, Aiden beat the shit out of him because he thought that Glen was checking him out in the locker room," she informs the other girl with a smirk.  
"Glen's gay?" The shock evident in the teen's voice.  
"No, but it was as good an excuse as any at the time," is the nonchalant response.  
The front door opens and slams shut before Spencer can ask any more questions.  
"I told you that I needed those files two days ago!" Arthur shouts into his cell phone. "I don't care if it is the holidays. If those files aren't on my desk by morning then you will be spending Christmas in the Unemployment line at Social Services," he threatens before hanging up.  
"That is **_not _**my dad," Spencer shakes her head in disbelief at the man before her.  
"No, this is the man that you dad became when he never had a daughter and never became a social worker," Megan corrects the lost girl beside her. "He never had a little girl to protect from the rest of the world," she mocks.  
"So he's just an angry psychiatrist?" Spencer questions.  
"An angry, well-paid psychiatrist in one of the top psychiatric facilities in the country," Megan corrects.  
They stand there for a moment before Spencer turns to look at her guide. "What about my mom?" She asks after a few minutes have passed.  
"Well, uber-Christian Mommy Dearest is off having an affair with a co-worker slash ex-boyfriend of hers," Megan chuckles as Spencer's jaw hits the floor with a resounding 'thud'. "Yep, Dr. Carlin didn't have her daughter there to try and set a 'good example' for," she scoffs.  
"What?" She asks in a state of total shock.  
"Uh huh. Every emergency appendectomy and five car pile up was a hook-up with her boss," Megan nods regretfully as the blonde's face falls at the news. "You didn't think this would be easy did you?" She asks with barely veiled hostility.  
"No...I just didn't think it would be so hard," Spencer whispers sadly.  
"Yeah...Just wait, it gets better," the guide informs her disillusioned charge as she snaps her fingers.  
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**King High School- One Month Ago**  
Spencer finds herself in front of the school bulletin board. "What are we doing back in November?" She asks as she notices the calendar posted.  
"Before you could appreciate the present, I needed to show you the past," Megan says obviously. "This is the day that you and Ashley would have met," she throws in.  
"Great. I can hardly contain myself," the blonde grumbles bitterly.  
"What did I say about your tone?" Megan growls as Spencer places her hands in the air in a placating manner. "Follow me," she instructs as they walk over to a familiar set of lockers.  
"This one is Ashley's," Spencer points out, proud at having known _something_ about the whole experience.  
"Yes. I know. I **_am_** omnipresent remember," the scantily clad guide scoffs, obviously disrespected at the other girl's tone.  
"Right, right. What are we doing he-"  
"If you would shut up for a minute, I will tell you," Megan rolls her eyes as she cuts the young girl off. Ashley stalks up to her locker and begins to root through it, spilling out half of its contents in her fury. "Without you around, Ashley gets someone else to help her pick her shit up," she informs the blonde.  
"Fuck," Ashley grumbles as she bends down to pick up her stuff.  
"Let me help," a seemingly random girl offers as she bends down to help.  
"Who the hell is that?" Spencer jealously inquires.  
"Hey," Ashley greets the girl as they make eye contact kneeled down by the brunette's locker.  
"Hey yourself," the aforementioned seemingly random girl responds with a slight smile.  
"**_That_**," Megan begins, pausing for dramatic effect. "Is the beginning of the end," she finishes vaguely.  
"I don't understand," Spencer mumbles as she watches the meaningful glances between the two. "I've never seen her around," she muses as she watches the newcomer talking to her former friend.  
"That, my friend, is Krystina...Ashley's ex. They broke up during the summer and she had dropped out a couple of weeks after you started," Megan explains. "Since you were around the first time to help Ashley pick her shit up, Krys didn't even bother to stop. This time, however, she did," she adds as she witnesses the shadow of jealousy cross the young girl's face.  
"Well, it looks like they'll be getting back together," Spencer notes and Megan nods slowly. "That's good then...right?" She asks rhetorically, the hurt very obvious in her voice.  
"Not if you ever met Krystina," Megan sighs as Madison and Aiden pass by them.  
"At least **_their_** happy little world isn't shaken up," Spencer says as she watches the happy couple walk through the quad.  
"You have no idea," Megan states, unable to hide the smirk on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
**Dark Room**  
"Okay, now where the hell are we?" Spencer grouses as she waves her hand in front of her face to test if she can even see it. She can't.  
"Three weeks later. Now be quiet and listen," Megan snaps at the teen, causing Spencer to roll her eyes, but stop talking nonetheless.  
They listen for a moment before Spencer is able to make out a sound. Someone is sobbing quietly close to where they are at. Before the blonde can question any further, there is a light knocking on the door.  
"Madison?" A masculine voice on the other side asks.  
"Ew. We're in Madison's room?" Spencer makes a disturbed expression as the door opens and closes and the light is switched on.  
Aiden stays by the door and watches helplessly as his girlfriend lies crying on the bed. Slowly, he goes over and sits down next to her and tentatively runs his fingers through her curly locks. "We have to talk about this Madison. We have a lot to deal with now and I think-"  
"**_We_** don't have to deal with jack shit. You're not the one who's pregnant are you Aiden!" She snaps at the boy.  
Frustrated, Aiden stands up and glares at the brunette. "You're right, I don't **_have_** to deal with this. You want to be alone so bad? Then wish granted," he growls at his girlfriend before leaving the room.  
Madison rises into a sitting position and hugs a pillow tightly to her chest. She leans her head down into its downy softness and screams before being overtaken by a new wave of sobs.  
Spencer turns quickly to her guide. "Doesn't she have a miscarriage like Ashley did?" She asks, actually concerned for the bitchy cheerleader.  
Megan shakes her head regretfully. "Afraid not. Nine months later she gives birth to a baby girl. Both of her parents have practically disowned her by that point. Aiden steps up as the father and drops out of high school to get a job working at his cousin Murphy's paint store. They both eventually become raging alcoholics and fight constantly. This..." she motions around the room vaguely, "...is the moment their lives practically end," she finishes.  
"Aiden needs to, like, never have sex," Spencer snorts with disgust.  
"That's the first smart thing you've said all day," Megan notes, earning a glare from the blonde.  
Spencer softens slightly. "All of this happens because I was never around?" She questions somewhat skeptically.  
"Yep. Madison got pregnant on the night that she and Glen would have had their first date. However, since your brother wasn't a basketball player, that never happened," she informs the girl.  
"Where's Ashley while all of this is happening?" Spencer questions, wondering how things with her and Krystina ended up progressing.  
Megan looks down at her watch and blanches. "I don't think you want to know," she shakes her head vehemently.  
"**_Yes_**, I do," Spencer states forcefully. "I want to see my best friend," she elaborates desperately.  
"Newsflash: She's not your best friend now that you don't exist!" Megan yells, Spencer stares her down with unwavering determination. The guide lets out a deep sigh. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she mumbles before snapping her fingers.  
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**Rave**  
Spencer finds herself disoriented once more as she is suddenly surrounded by at least a hundred people. Music is pumping hard and the bass is kicking as lights flash and people binge on innumerable different drug cocktails. The blonde remains paralyzed, unable to believe that her Ashley would ever consider going to one of these.  
"Come on," Megan cuts into Spencer's musings as she tugs at her hand, dragging her through the crowd. "You asked for it," she grumbles as they stop in front of a nondescript door down a relatively hidden hallway in the abandoned warehouse rave. "She's just through that door," she informs the other girl. Before the blonde opens it and goes through, Megan reaches out and grabs her by the arm. "You really don't have to do this Spence," she says compassionately, concern written in her eyes.  
"Yes. I do," she responds before opening the door and walking in. Megan is right behind her as Spencer notices the three people in the room: two boys and a girl.  
Ashley is passed out on the floor, presumably by one of the many combinations of substances available no more than fifty feet from where they stand. An empty plastic cup is nearby as it probably rolled out of her hand once she hit the floor.  
The two boys hover over the unconscious form of the brunette. One with his hair bleached blonde and the other with his dyed blue. Both are very unkempt and wasted looking.  
Blondie nudges his friend in the side. "See man, I told you. A total hottie," he smirks, nodding his head at the girl laying in a heap on the floor.  
"Yeah, she is dude. So, what do you want to do?" Blue Boy asks suggestively.  
"Whatever we do, I get to do it first seeing as how I found her here," the bleached teen grins as he licks his lips.  
"I don't care, but I want to watch," the boy with the Smurf colored hair chuckles as he shakes his head.  
Wordlessly, the blonde kid walks over to Ashley and turns her on her back. He unzips his jeans and kneels down in front of her, lifting her skirt up and moving down until he is completely inside her.  
At this point, Megan moves to stand in front of Spencer to block her view. She puts her hands on the stunned girl's shoulders gently. "I think you get the picture," she whispers sympathetically as she turns her around and leads her out of the room.  
"Both of them...?" She trails off her question as she feels the tears beginning to fall from her eyes.  
"Yes," Megan replies quietly, knowing what she was about to ask.  
"What about Krystina? She's Ashley's girlfriend isn't she?" Spencer questions desperately and Megan nods solemnly. "Then why isn't she trying to stop this?" She nearly shouts her frustration.  
Megan doesn't reply verbally, but she walks over to another door and pushes it open. Spencer peeks in and sees Krystina sitting up on a table of some kind with her back against the wall and some girl's head between her legs.  
"As you can see, Krystina has other things on her mind other than her girlfriend's welfare," Megan points out obviously.  
"But why would she cheat on Ashley to begin with?" The blonde wonders.  
"Same reason why Ashley cheats on her...they don't care about each other. They just use one another for no real reason," the guide explains. "Ashley dropped out of school with Krys a week after they got back together. She got kicked out of her house and the two have been staying at Krys' house and getting loaded every night since then," she adds.  
"Damn," Spencer mumbles as she shakes her head at the new information, trying to block out what she knows is going on behind door number one.  
"Krystina was up at the bar no more than ten minutes ago saying that her girlfriend was passed out back here. Then, she proceeded to flirt with the girl who is currently between her legs. The blonde guy overheard her and went to investigate," Megan explains the other girl's unintentional involvement in Ashley's current predicament.  
"That's really fucked up," Spencer notes unnecessarily as she shakes her head. "I think I've seen enough," she tells the other girl.  
With a heavy sigh, Megan shakes her head. "No. You haven't. There is one more thing you need to see and it makes this pale in comparison," she responds.  
"What?" Spencer asks warily.  
"You need to see December 21...the day that you wished you had never been born," Megan says as she snaps her fingers again.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
**Wooded Pathway**  
They are standing by a secluded pathway surrounded by trees. Spencer, by now, has learned to wait.  
With a weak smile, Megan looks at the blonde. "Just another moment or so and they should start coming," she informs the girl.  
Before Spencer could ask who would be coming, several people begin to appear in the distance. Spencer and Megan begin to start towards them. A few of them are crying. All of them appear somber and they are all wearing black.  
The pieces fit together in Spencer's mind and she pauses, grabbing Megan by the arm to draw her attention. "Who died?" She asks desperately.  
The corners of Megan's lips twist up slightly in a bitter smile. "It's just up a little further," she says as she continues walking.  
Once they reach the top of a small hill, they see a singular figure standing over an open grave. They continue their way up until they can see the person's face as they take a swig out of a silver flask.  
"Krystina?" Spencer questions as she recognizes the stranger who has recently become the bane of her non-existence.  
The girl takes one last sip and drops the flask into the hole, letting it crush the roses it lands on. "This one's on me," she mumbles coldly before turning and walking off.  
Spencer walks up quietly and looks down. "That was Ashley's flask," she states, her voice cracking as she figures it out. She looks over to the headstone reluctantly. "It just has her name," she whispers sadly.  
"Yeah. Her parents barely ever acknowledged her, her girlfriend just used her and she had no friends," Megan explains. "When you existed, there was no girlfriend and her parents didn't matter because **_you _**were all she really needed," she states as she rests her hand on Spencer's shoulder.  
"How did she...?" Spencer can't finish her question because she is too busy sinking to the ground in uncontrollable sobs.  
Megan crouches down next to her. "Her rape was two weeks ago. She found out that Krys was having sex in the room next to where it happened and she just...fell apart," she sighs, shaking her head.  
"What does that **_mean_**?" The blonde questions forcefully.  
"It means that Ashley killed herself. She wrote out a crude letter, did a few lines of heroin and slit her wrists," Megan responds as she pities the state of the girl next to her.  
"Oh my god," Spencer murmurs to herself, her eyes rimmed red with tears that have fallen and tears that have yet to fall.  
"You a friend of hers?" A rough voice behind the two asks.  
Spencer turns around and sees an old man standing behind her with a shovel. "Me?" She asks, surprised that anyone other than Megan can see her.  
"I don't see anyone else here," he says gruffly.  
The blonde chuckles slightly, wondering why he can't see the other girl. "Yeah...I knew her once," she sighs, looking down at the coffin of the near stranger six feet below.  
"Sad story, that one," he nods sadly. "I heard that in her letter she wrote that all she ever wanted was 'someone that she could love and someone that would love her in return'. Poor thing," he shakes his head. "Well, take your time, I'll fill this in whenever you're ready," he smiles softly at the girl before turning around and walking away.  
Spencer dissolves into another onslaught of tears and sobs as he leaves, knowing that he had quoted the one thing that Ashley said the night of the dance that really touched her. "This is all my fault. I should never have made that stupid wish," she cries out. "Let's just end this now, please," she pleads with the guide standing behind her, not looking up at all.  
"I can't do that just yet," Megan responds quietly.  
"Why not?" The teen asks angrily through her misery.  
"Because you have a decision to make before I can make anything final," she informs her charge.  
At this, Spencer look up at the other girl in surprise. "What?" She asks after a moment of trying to remove her jaw from the ground.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: The Conclusion  
**Cemetary...Still**  
At the young girl's question, Megan moves closer to the girl and looks her square in the eye. "This was to show you what would happen **_if_** you'd never been born. This is merely a glimpse of what would happen," she explains slowly.  
"So, none of this is real?" Spencer questions, furrowing her brow in confusion.  
"Oh, it's real all right...but it doesn't have to be," Megan scoffs.  
"What are you saying?" The blonde asks in frustration.  
"I'm saying that you have to choose between the life you tried to leave behind and the life you see around you," Megan tells the other girl, getting directly to the point.  
Spencer releases a relieved sob. "I don't want this life. I want everything to be exactly like it was, I never wanted any of this. I wish things were back the way I left them," she cries out through her tears.  
"**_That_** is the right answer," Megan smirks. "Enjoy your life Spencer," she smiles warmly before snapping her fingers once more.  
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**Room**  
Spencer sits up with a jolt as she takes in her surroundings. She's back in her room, in her bed. She looks down and finds herself wearing the same clothes she was wearing earlier, if not slightly crumpled looking.  
Looking around, she finds everything as it should be. Getting up, she approaches the mirror of her dresser. "Was this all a dream?" She mumbles to herself as she goes up to the smooth surface and looks at reflection.  
She is startled to find Megan in the reflection as well, her hands on her leather clad hips. "Don't even..." the guide warns, allowing her threat to hang silently in the air.  
Spencer turns around quickly to find the other girl gone once again, removed from the reflection as well. Before she could get down with any further soul searching, she hears the front door open and close downstairs. The blonde grins before opening her room and tearing down the steps to greet her brothers as they enter the house.  
"Hey guys!" Spencer greets the two boys with a big grin before enveloping them each in a giant bear hug. "i'm glad you guys are back," she smiles warmly at them.  
"Yeah, you too Spence," Clay replies, bewildered.  
"You feeling okay?" Glen questions as he places a hand on the younger girl's forehead to test for a fever.  
She playfully bats his hand away. "I just missed you is all," she smiles, happy to be back to her life.  
Glen folds his arms across his chest. "What do you want?" He asks suspiciously.  
Spencer rolls her eyes. "Nothing...Well, actually...Can I borrow your car?" She asks after taking a moment to think about his question.  
The older boy tries to glare sternly at his sister before sighing at her pout. "Be carefully," he warns half-heartedly as he caves into her request and tosses her the keys.  
Spencer bounds purposefully towards the door before pausing and going back to the boys. "I love you guys," she tells them sincerely before kissing them each on the cheek and leaving, not even waiting for a response.  
"That was weird...even for Spencer," Clay notes after a moment. All a shocked Glen can do is nod dumbly in agreement.  
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**Ashley's House**  
The blonde pulls up in front of the familiar mansion and parks the car next to the silver BMW already in the driveway. With a sigh, she steps out of the vehicle and walks up to the house, making sure to keep her breathing even.  
However, before she reaches the front door, Spencer walks around to the north side of the house and pulls out her cell phone. She can honestly say that she doesn't want to barge in and 'interrupt' anything with that 'Chissy' bitch. She dials and waits patiently.  
"Hello?" Ashley greets when she picks up after the third ring.  
"Hello yourself," Spencer grins at the other girl's voice.  
"Spencer! What's up?" The brunette exclaims, happy to hear from the younger girl, afraid that she'd messed things up by snapping at her friend at lunchtime.  
"Nothing much, I just wanted to see if you were busy," Spencer informs the older girl.  
"No, not really," the older girl responds with a slight shrug, that Spencer can't see through the phone. This response, however, causes the girl on lounging on her bed to glare, knowing exactly what the question was. "Why do you ask?" Ashley questions, more out of curiosity than suspicion.  
"Look out your window," Spencer instructs. She hears the older girl chuckle knowingly into the line and hang up. Moments later, Ashley is sticking her head out of the aforementioned window and waves at a grinning Spencer.  
"Hey girl, what's up?" Ashley asks from her place in the window.  
"I just wanted to come by and see you," Spencer replies honestly.  
"Well, come on up," the older girl instructs, only bringing her head back inside as Spencer dissappears out of sight. "Spencer's here," she smiles at the other girl in the room.  
"Yeah, I kind of got that. I thought you and I were hanging out," Chrissy bitches about the girl now coming up the stairs.  
"Well, we were. Now Spencer's here and we can all hang out together," Ashley explains, beginning to fear that the other girl is kind of slow.  
"Right," Chrissy breathes out in mild disappointment as the bedroom door opens to reveal the blonde girl.  
For her part, Spencer seems mildly disappointed herself when she sees the new girl that Ashley took in a few long hours ago. "Hey Chrissy," she unenthusiastically greets the other girl.  
"Spencer," the other girl acknowledges her with a slight nod. The three stay there for a few awkward moments before Chrissy stands up. "Well, I'm going to head out," she sighs, knowing that Ashley would choose to keep Spencer there over her hands down. "I'll see you guys later," she smiles, mostly at Ashley.  
"Did you need a ride?" The brunette offers, knowing that she was the other girl's ride to her house.  
"No, I'm close enough that I could walk it, but thanks," Chrissy brushes off before dejectedly letting herself out of the house.  
"Huh, that was weird," Ashley notes to herself before turning back to her friend. "So, what brings you here after school? Oh, how'd your test go?" She questions the younger girl with a slight smile.  
"Actually," Spencer smirks. "I had Aiden take me home after you and Chrissy left," she informs her friend.  
"Oh," Ashley responds simply, trying not to look hurt. "So...You and Aiden then, huh?" She asks neutrally, thinking that she pushed the other girl into his arms.  
"No. I was actually thinking more along the lines of **_you _**and **_me_**," Spencer responds as she nervously bites her lip.  
Ashley's jaw kind of hangs open slightly as she takes a moment to process what the other girl just told her. "What?" She asks, the only coherent thought passing through her mind.  
Spencer sighs as she turns away and runs her fingers nervously through her hair. "When I got back, I did some thinking and I kind of had an moment where I was just like, 'Okay, I get it now'," she begins to rant at the brunette.  
"What did you 'get'?" Ashley asks, her mouth going dry.  
"I got that I want to be more than just your friend and I don't think I could take it if I ever lost you," Spencer explains, tearing up at all of the images she'd seen regarding the girl in front of her.  
At the tone the conversation has taken, Ashley jumps into action as she approaches the blonde and envelops her in a tight embrace. Spencer rests her head on her shoulder as the older girl begins to rub her back soothingly. "I'm not going anywhere Spence. You're stuck with me," she smiles softly, beginning to get a little misty herself.  
Spencer lifts her head up and looks into the other girl's eyes. "Ash, I'm in love with you," she admits in a voice barely above a whisper.  
"Really?" Ashley asks, her eyes brightening, especially as Spencer nods slightly. "I'm in love with you too," she smiles back. Spencer feels all of the tension of her very excruciating day fall away at the declaration.  
Ashley reaches her hand up and brushes the tears off of the younger girl's cheek before tucking back some stray blonde locks behind her ears. Spencer's eyes flutter closed at the warm, gentle touch. They lean in towards one another and their lips meet softly as they begin to really explore one another's mouth.  
Looking back, neither could say who made the first move, but neither could really care less. They find themselves beginning to pull at the other's clothing as it all seems to melt off their bodies at the amount of heat they are generating. In their flurry of moments, they fall onto the bed, still wrapped up in the other's arms. Their kisses become more and more hungry as they do their best to devour the oter and soak up every sensation, every moan and sigh. Their touches becoming more daring and more pleasurable than the last.  
They come together, screaming out each other's name and falling into the other's arms. Both know that it was the thing to do and it was the next natural step that their relationship could possibly take. After this, it doesn't matter what happens because they know that they will always have each other.  
Their lives may not always be easy or full of unconditional understanding, but they **_will_** be happy. And, as Spencer watches the peacefully sleeping profile of the girl she loves, all she knows is that it truly is a wonderful life.

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